Moving to Malaysia from Papua New Guinea
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Papua New Guinea to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Papua New Guinea to Malaysia.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Papua New Guinea to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Papua New Guinea performs better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
Papua New Guinea generally does better on infrastructure, though Malaysia leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Papua New Guinea leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Malaysia performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Port Moresby | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Port Moresby | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. To live, work, or study long-term in Malaysia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malaysia's immigration authority.
Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malaysia has 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Malaysia performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Papua New Guinea.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 0.6 in Papua New Guinea. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Papua New Guinea: 30).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Papua New Guinea?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 88°F in Port Moresby. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Port Moresby gets 35.4 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Papua New Guinea, the official languages are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.
